Helping You Help Youth
Avoiding a Can of Worms – Risk Management for 4-H Clubs/Groups
Activity and Discussion Guide
Objectives:
Participants will:
Recognize the importance of risk management.
Understand the basic terms & principles involved in managing risks.
Use a process for identifying, analyzing, and managing risks.
Develop a risk management plan.
Introduction:
In this training, we will “open the can of worms” and take a look at a process that
we can use to protect ourselves, the youth we work with, and other people as we
plan 4-H club meetings, events, and activities.
Teaching Outline:
What to Teach (content)
How to Teach (process)
Risk Management Terms Have participants complete the
Wormwood Definition Quiz and
then review 8 ppt slides of
terms.
Use the Risk Identification and
Risk Identification and
Analysis Worksheet to think
Analysis
about risk exposures to people,
property, and perpetuation.
Have participants identify risks
and then analyze them
according to frequency and
severity. Select one case study
from the Avoiding a Can of
Worms lesson to use for this
activity.
Risk Management
Share the 5 ppt slides that
Strategies
relate to risk management
strategies. Using the same
case study, work through the
Risk Management Worksheet to
identify strategies to retain,
reduce, share, or avoid risks.
Risk Management
Discuss (in small groups or the
Planning
whole group) the
recommendations for ways to
implement risk management
strategies. Have participants
Resources Needed
Wormwood Definition Quiz *
Power Point Presentation –
“Avoiding a Can of Worms”*
Case Study *
Case Study Answer Key *
Risk Identification and Analysis
Worksheet *
Risk Management Worksheet *
HYHY fact sheet on Avoiding a
Can of Worms.
Risk Management Tools
Risk Management
Summary
identify which recommendations
are relevant to the case study.
Share with participants the list
of Risk Management Tools that
are available on the Illinois 4-H
web site at www.4H.uiuc.edu/staff/fieldstaff under
event planning, risk
management, and volunteer
screening.
Utilize the Reflection Questions
below to take participants
through the experiential cycle
for this lesson. Indicate that
you would be willing to work
with groups to review risk
management plans for their
meetings, events, or activities.
Have participants complete the
Risk Management Evaluation
Form from the lesson. May
want to play Risk Management
Jeopardy as a wrap up if you
have time.
Risk Management Tools *
Risk Management Lesson
Evaluation Form *
Risk Management Jeopardy *
and game board
Note: The items listed with an *
are included in the Avoiding a Can
of Worms Lesson that is available
to Extension Educators on the YD
Team secure web site and on the
Illinois 4-H web site.
Reflection:
(Share) What happened when you made a list of the potential risks for a 4-H meeting,
event, or activity? How did each step in the risk management planning process build on
each other?
(Process) What is important to remember when going through risk management
planning? What was the most challenging part of this lesson?
(Generalize) How would youth members and other adults such as parents and project
leaders benefit from being a part of risk management planning? How did this training
relate to the programming you do in your 4-H club/group?
(Apply) How can you use the ideas gained today from going through the risk
identification, analysis, and management process in your 4-H club? Where else might
you be able to apply this information?
04/04
Created by: Sheri Seibold, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development